P.M. Executive Briefing - April 12
This Afternoon's Headlines:
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Hijack Ordeal Ends for Trucker
Three thieves who abducted a 32-year-old Miami trucker Monday – and kept him blindfolded in a warehouse until the next day – also made off with the shipment of Liz Claiborne apparel that was in his trailer.Horizon Freight Systems driver Jose Lopez was headed for Pennsylvania from Miami but only made it as far as Interstate 95 between Florida State Road 84 and Broward Boulevard before being pulled over by an SUV with a flashing light behind the windshield.
Rising cargo theft in south Florida has caused area law-enforcement agencies to create the Tactical Operation Multi-Agency Cargo Anti-Theft Squad. Two men were charged last week in a February cargo theft in Miami in which John Paul Mitchell hair-care items valued at over $100,000 were stolen. Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel (04/12/00) P. 5B; Tzortzis, Andreas
Fuel Prices Blamed for Lower MATS Turnout
Mid-America Trucking Show officials blame higher fuel costs for the drop in attendance from 78,649 visitors last year to 76,118 this year, but show manager Tim Young called the event "a huge success for the industry." The 30th annual MATS is set for March 22-24, 2001. eTrucker.net (04/12/00)Asche Auditor: Some Results No Longer Reliable
Asche Transportation Services' 1997 and 1998 financial statements as well as its reports for last year's first three quarters are unreliable due to accounting irregularities, according to company auditor Ernst & Young.Asche's consolidated net worth will be affected by roughly $5 million after taxes, the company said. The carrier is also seeking solutions to a present problem with cash flow. Reuters (04/11/00)
High-Wage Jobs Lost at Freightliner
Freightliner is moving 52 jobs from its Mount Holly, N.C., cab assembly plant to a plant in Santiago, Mexico, where the FLD heavy trucks are assembled for sale in Mexico. Company spokeswoman Debi Nicholson said the heavy-duty cabs will now be assembled in Mexico with the rest of the truck, eliminating the costly and inefficient practice of shipping the cabs to Santiago from North Carolina.The laid-off employees will receive the standard severance package and will be the first in line if Freightliner should rehire within four years, she said. Freightliner does not expect further layoffs at its Mount Holly plant, which still has 2,800 workers making medium trucks, or at is Gastonia, N.C., parts plant, which has 1,200 on its payroll.
But Schroder & Co. analyst Eli Lustgarten continues to expect industry sales to drop 20% or more this year, which he said represents the industry returning to normal after the spike in 1999.
According to the Gaston County Economic Development Commission's Donny Hicks it will be tough to replace the high-paying manufacturing positions which include good benefits, but skilled workers should find jobs due to the tight labor market in the Southeast. Charlotte Observer (04/11/00) P. 1L; White, Sharon
Reinventing the Tire
Keeping tires in good shape and using retreads can help fleets and owner-operators cut costs and also reduce the amount of oil used in tire manufacturing.While retreads outsold new replacement tires in North America in 1998, many still believe that retreads are less safe and cost-effective, and there is the common notion that roadside "gators" are due to retreads. But such tire debris could be caused by poorly-maintained casings, not just treads.
Tread life can be reduced 9% to 16% if the tire is underinflated only 10%, says The Maintenance Council, and both TMC and The Rubber Manufacturers' Association say an underinflation of at least 20% is grounds for an off-the-rim inspection.
Fuel efficiency also suffers with underinflation, and the only way to be certain that a tire is properly inflated is by using an air pressure gauge.
Tires can be retreaded two or three times with proper maintenance. The big tire makers are also prominent retreaders, and they will also help fleets and owner-operators select the best tires and retreads for their needs. The best retreaders use strict inspections of casings to make certain that they will hold up after retreading, but drivers should check tire pressure every week and keep an eye on tread wear in order to keep casings in good shape. Truckers News Online Magazine (04/00)
Searching for Surcharges
Drivers and carriers are looking for new ways to implement fuel surcharges in the face of soaring diesel fuel costs, especially on the U.S. coastlines, where the prices are highest. Oklahoma City attorney Keith Butler recommends owner-operators use the driver shortage to their advantage by hunting down a contract that includes a surcharge and a carrier that will implement it.Stephen Roy of Volvo's Roadmanager Financial Services notes that owner-operators who have a surcharge agreement can take a shipper to the court for enforcement of the contract, although the process requires time and money. Independents can also use the surcharge implementation advice that is posted on the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association Web site.
Some companies are dealing with the fuel-price problem in other ways: Schneider National gives its owner-operators a 4% surcharge whether or not the company receives it from the customer, and Nashville's Star Transportation last year began allowing its owner-operators to become company drivers for short and long terms. Overdrive Online (04/00); Dunn, Jill
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